Free Miscellaneous Topics in Chicago

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  • The World Today

    Dr. Cliff Brickman, Doctor, Therapist, Researcher, Wellness Clinic, The Still Soft Voice

    Dr. Brickman will explain how the primary solution to the world’s woes is not a military one, but rather a psychological and cultural one. He will discuss how better military equipment by itself won’t do it.

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  • Elder Mediation

    Karin McNicholas & Dennis McNicholas, Mediation Services

    Mediation allows families to explore mutually acceptable solutions to difficult problems with parents and elderly relatives. It encourages creative problem solving within the private family setting rather than relying upon the legal system to resolve these issues.

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  • Fatal Incident

    Jim Proebstle, Author

    Inspired by the true events of an Air Transport Command aircraft disaster in Alaska in 1944, Fatal Incident reveals the dark secrets of a WW II conspiracy and cover-up of how twenty U.S. military deaths have gone unsolved for over 70 years. The story will attract men and women interested in intrigue, Russian espionage, and heart-pounding drama; as the human emotions and lives of people in love, separated by war, are changed forever. MORE >

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  • Changing the Course of Human History

    Roger Breisch, Speaker / Provocateur, Dancing With Chaos

    Neil Postman once said, "Children are the living messages we send to a future we will not see." When we change the life of a young person, we change the course of human history.

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  • Your Brain is Lying to You!

    Roger Breisch, Speaker / Provocateur, Dancing With Chaos

    In her highly acclaimed book, Being Wrong: Adventures in the margin of error, Kathryn Schulz says “As far as we know, then, error is uniquely ours. Our fallibility is what keeps us suspended between the kingdom of lessor animals and the kingdom of God.” MORE >

    How might we be different in the world if we knew a large percentage of what we think we “know” is wrong… or at least off kilter? If we entered the world each day with the understanding there is much to learn and revise about our current thinking, might we be more curious? Better listeners?

    The human brain is a pattern making marvel, but the stories we make up based on those patterns are often wrong. We do this every day when we make up stories about others based on very little knowledge of who they really are. Might we find people are far more interesting than our first impressions leave us to believe?

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  • Safe Communities – Safe Kids

    Dr. Michael Litow, Executive Director, The Education Center

    Dr. Litow addresses keeping schools a place for learning, not fear. He brings basic and reasonable insights into how each person can make a difference in our communities to keep students safe.

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  • The Experiences of a United States Marine from the Vietnam War to Present

    James Balcer, Retired Alderman, 11th Ward, Chicago

    In 1967, at the age of 17, James Balcer enlisted in the United States Marine Corps — a decision that would impact every aspect of his life and lead him to a decades long mission to advocate for veterans and the military. Hear firsthand his experiences as a young recruit, a mortar man in a unit that endured so many causalities they were referred to as the “walking dead,” and a Vietnam Veteran in a turbulent social climate. MORE >

    During his service in Vietnam, his valor and bravery in helping to carry dead and wounded Marines up a 900 foot mountain, while under enemy fire, resulted in being awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V Device. He was also awarded three Purple Heart Medals for wounds sustained during his service.

    His experiences during the Vietnam War, the time period after, and present-day advocacy are not only remarkable, but inspirational. In a world where veteran and military issues, particularly honoring veterans and ensuring that their legacies are remembered, former PFC Balcer remains dedicated to remembering the past and looking towards the future.

    He will not only speak on his experiences in the United States Marine Corps, but his work, and leadership within, various veteran and military organizations, memorials, and parades. Further, he will share his experiences as a strong advocate for the veterans and the military during his tenure as Director of Veterans for the City of Chicago and Alderman of the 11th Ward in Chicago.

    Semper Fi!

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  • Measuring Results From Training

    Bette Lawrence-Water, Founder and Principal Consultant, Spectrum Strategic Solutions

    Although we all know that training can have many amazing benefits, sometimes it can be hard to prove those benefits and attach a dollar value to training. Some topics, like sales training or time management, might have direct, tangible benefits. Other topics, like communication or leadership, might have benefits that you can’t put a dollar value on. MORE >

    Through this discussion participants will learn about the different ways to evaluate training progress, and how to use those results to demonstrate the results that training brings. Once the training has been evaluated the next step is to modify and updated the curriculum to create a content that is better suited for the participants.

    Presentation Objectives:
    • Understand learning styles and learning cycle
    • Understand levels of evaluation
    • Be familiar with many types of evaluation tools, including goal setting, tests, reactionary sheets, interviews, observations, hip-pocket assessments, skill assessments, and learning journals
    • Understand when to use each type of evaluation tool
    • Be able to perform a needs assessment
    • Know how to write learning objectives and link them to evaluation
    • Be able to write an evaluation plan to evaluate learning at each stage of the training and far beyond
    • Know how to identify the costs, benefits, and return on investment of training
    • Be familiar with the parts of a business case

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  • Personal Safety and Self Defense

    Joe Rosner, Self-Defense Teacher, Best Defense of Illinois

    Joe will tell how to recognize and avoid dangerous situations and how to react to them if necessary. Programs are available for realtors, healthcare professionals as well as the general audience.

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  • The Bible and the Ballot – A New Vision for Christian Political Engagement

    Ted Williams III, Political Science Faculty, City Colleges of Chicago/WYCC PBS

    Faith is an increasingly controversial topic in US politics. Can diverse faith and secular communities find common ground on our nation’s most pressing issues? Should faith remain personal or can people of faith contribute to US politics? Ted’s non-partisan and holistic conversation offers a new vision for faith-based civic engagement.

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